Students have called on the University of Bath to cap accommodation prices - after revealing it made a £3.5 million profit on student accommodation in a year.

The president of the university students' union said the situation, which sees the poorest students graduate with debts of £57,000, is “unacceptable”.

Freedom of information requests revealed the university has run million pound surpluses on student accommodation since 2009/10.

A spokesman for the institution said any revenue is reinvested on maintenance and refurbishments.

However, politics and international relations student Alexandra Iciek said the university’s focus is not on ‘actually accommodating students’.

Alexandra Iciek on campus

She said: “The university claims that its profit is ring-fenced and reinvested in accommodation, but these freedom of information requests show how the university’s reinvestment is based on making a continuous surplus, rather than actually accommodating students.

“This is illustrated by the building of only luxury accommodation on campus in recent years.

“Financial status should not become an unofficial entry requirement to Bath University.”

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The FoI responses show how university spending - and profit - on accommodation has risen as the institution has expanded.

Its department of accommodation and hospitality services - which also covers catering, conferences, arts facilities and non-student summer use of accommodation - spent a record £20.8 million in 2015/16.

This was up from:

£17.9m in 14/15

£15.5m in 13/14

£14.6m in 12/13

£12.9m in 11/12

£12m in 10/11

11.9m in 09/10

£13.9m in 08/09

£10.2m in 07/08

Figures also show the surplus made by the university on its student accommodation, although the increase is not so consistent.

The university’s biggest surplus in 14/15 saw it make £3.471m.

This compares to:

£2.775m in 15/16

£1.934m in 13/14

£2.082 in 12/13

£2.704m in 11/12

£3.225 in 10/11

£1.882 in 09/10

a loss of £462,413 in 08/09

and £836,413 surplus in 07/08

The cheapest rooms the university offers are £70 a week, but these are shared rooms with two single beds.

The cheapest individual on-campus room is in Eastwood block at £106.50 a week.

Cut the Rent

Increases in the cost of rooms has led students to form a Bath Cut the Rent campaign to seek greater transparency in how the university manages its accommodation services.

They have called for all university accommodation to be priced between 70 per cent of the minimum maintenance loan for students living away from home (which equates to £3,821 for the 2016-17 academic year) and 70 per cent of the maximum loan (£5,740).

Ben Davies is president of the university student union which has endorsed the campaign.

Ben Davies, president of University of Bath student union

He said: “The situation is now unacceptable.

“Students are concerned about the marketisation of our university.

“Rent rises have come with the increase in tuition fees and student debt.